UNCLASSIFIED
ENCLOSURE VI
ITEM FROM THE NEWS TICKER
March 29, 1956
(ATOMIC TESTS)
United Nations, N.Y. -- The U.N. gave its blessing today
to next month's scheduled tests of American Nuclear Weapons
in the Pacific.
The U.N. Trusteeship Council overrode Russian and Indian
objections to the tests and approved by a vote a resolution
approving the tests in the Marshall Islands providing all
necessary safeguards are taken.
The Marshall Islands, which
include Bikini and Eniwetok, are part of the Pacific trust area
administered by the U.S. under U.N.
supervision.
India's V. K. Krishna Menon led the move to have the April
tests outlawed,
He charged that previous american tests in
the area had increased the radioactivity of) the seawater by 10
per cent and that there was a hazard that mumans might eat
radioactive fish,
Although Menon also called for an end to
experimental explosions, he insisted that such
not be held by any U.N. Trust Territory on the
such areas belong to no particular country but
sponsibility of the world organization.
similar Russian
tests should
ground that
are the re-
He called the council's attention to vigorous protests
from the Japanese and Marshallese against any further nuclear
experiments in the Pacific,
United States delegate Benjamin Gerig replied that there
was no scientific evidence that any person had been harmed by
handling or eating fish contaminated in previous explosions,
Gerig assured
the Council that all safeguards are being
taken to protect the Marshallese and to compensate them for
any damage or inconvenience.
All shipsand planes have been warned to stay out of a
500,000 square mile area surrounding the test site beginning
April 20 and the U. S. planned extensive air and sea patrols
to guard against any unprotected vessels "straying" into the
area,
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Enclosure VI